Deception
by Skeptile
Summary: Deceiving people as your day job might pay well, but you're taking quite a gamble. When you're just on the wrong side of 'criminal' and people think you're cheating at the local casino, some kid whining at your doorstep really doesn't help your nerves.
1. Ellis

**Chapter 1: Ellis**

I looked up in irritation from my dinner as a continuous ring started up. With a put-upon sigh, I padded over and picked up the phone. I barely got out a 'He-' before I was cut off.

"Keith? Is that you?" A distinctly masculine voice asked. "Hey, how d'you put on lipstick?"  
>There was a brief pause as my eyebrow went up and I pulled the phone away from my ear to stare at it. "…What?" I asked flatly, slowly returning the contraption to its previous position. Who was this? Some crossdresser?<p>

"I- I was jus' wonderin' cos my class- we need ta make a paintin', see." The boy on the other end of the line said hastily.

My second eyebrow joined the other. What was with the hick accent?

"I would assume you simply uncapped the tube," I drawled. "And I'm not Keith."  
>"Yeah.. I sorta figgered after you didn' take the piss outta me for askin' bout lipstick. You're Nick, right?" He asked. "The one who practically rules the casino?"<br>"Yeah," I said cautiously. "What's it to you?"  
>"I'm Ellis!" The other announced.<p>

Oooh.. That brown haired kid who hung around Coach. I furrowed my eyebrows. What was the fucker up to?

"Did ya know you live next to me?" He asked curiously. For some reason, his voice echoed. No, he wouldn't...

"…" I slowly glanced out the window, hoping he wasn't where I thought he was. Outside, on my front lawn, was a brunet with a trucker cap and a cellphone. The kid was wearing dirty overalls-really? Shouldn't he be taking a damn shower, not standing on my lawn?- and god knows how much oil.

"Hey, Nick!" The abomination in front of my house shouted.

I pinched the bridge of my nose as I dropped my phone onto the couch. Maybe if I ignored him for long enough, he'd get the hint and go away…

"Nick! Ain'tcha gonna let me in?"  
>Ugh. If only I was so lucky. With a heavy sigh, I walked over and yanked the door open.<p>

"What are you doing?" I demanded.

"Standing on your lawn," The threat to my peace answered, sounding like it should be obvious.

Great, I was saddled with a smartass.

"I realised." I said flatly. "I mean, what are you doing **here?**"

"Oh! Coach told me to look for you, so I was gonna phone Keith to ask him where ya lived afte-"

I tuned him out, privately thinking Coach was a smart, smart man. Even if he was an asshole for dumping the kid with me.

"Nick! You listenin'?" The brunet was staring.

"What? What did you say?" I asked.

"I **said,**" He frowned at me. "Can I come in now?"

"Oh. No." I answered, slamming the door in his face.

That was the first time I really met Ellis.


	2. Talk, Talk, Talk

**Chapter 2: Talk, Talk, Talk**

The only good thing I can say about that kid is that he's persistent. He spent the rest of the day sitting on my doorstep whining at me, and it was only when the sun had completely set and it was nearing dinner time that he hauled his ass home. 'Jesus Christ,' I thought. 'That kid sure has a lot of time on his hands.'

But the next day he rang my doorbell repeatedly at Way-Too-Fucking-Early in the morning until I got out of bed and opened the damn door. Then the little punk slipped inside and helped himself to my supply of food, nicking my cereal. **My **cereal! Would you fucking believe it?

"What the hell are you doing?" I growled.

"Coach said the best time to talk to you was at 6 am," The goddamn early-bird answered cheerfully.

I snarled silently. I was going to **kill **Coach. And the kid eating away at my sanity while I was at it.

* * *

><p>"So me an' Keith are jus' at the mall, see, cos he wanted me to help him find a present for his girlfriend, yanno?"<p>

Three hours.

"And then I see it! The mos' beautiful thing I've ever seen. Ya know what it was?"

Three. Fucking. Hours.

"It was Jimmy Gibbs Jr's car!"

The little fucker's been talking for **three hours**. I've gone through six cups of coffee trying to stay awake but he **still** doesn't seem ready to shut the fuck up about him and Keith.

Jesus Christ, I feel sorry for Coach if this is what he has to go through **every** day.

"Hey! Nick! Are you even paying attention?" He waves a hand in front of my face.

"No. I haven't." I snarled in reply. "Do you know why? Because last night I went to sleep at 3 am. And today you woke me up at six in the fucking morning. In total, I've had three hours of sleep. And I feel like shit. That, kid, is why I'm drinking coffee like an addict."

"Oh, well, sorry 'bout that, Nick." The brunet said apologetically, rubbing the back of his head. "And m'name's Ellis."

"I really don't care, kid. Could you, I don't know, go find your buddy Keith and talk to him instead?" I sighed, rubbing my eyes.

"Huh, so you were payin' at least a **little **attention to me. Keith's off in California shootin' ducks with his family." He answered.

Well. That's just great.

"What about Coach?" I mumbled, my head dropping onto the table.

"He's workin' right now. Ro's busy too. Don' worry Nick, I won't kill ya or anythin'. You can go to sleep."

I lifted my head to stare at him. Innocent blue eyes stared back. My head dropped back down onto the wood. "No."

"Eh? Why not?"

"One, I don't trust you. Two, you'll probably start a party in my house. Three, I don't trust you."

"Aw, c'mon! I ain't gonna do that. Ya can even ask Coach."

"Ellis. If you fuck off, I will go to sleep." I gritted out. "But I am **not **going to let you run amok in my house. I barely know you, and I don't trust Coach's word."

The kid frowned and fell silent, looking pensive.

"I need more coffee," I announced abruptly, rising to my feet to grab the jug and plod to the kitchen. The kid followed, of course.

"No, really, I didn't know. If I did, I woulda waited till a bit later. Coach didn't tell me bout it or nothin'." He pestered.

"Yeah, okay," I muttered, draining another cup of coffee as I leant against the wall. "It's not like it matters anyway. I'm awake, aren't I?"

"Hey, I have an idea!" The brunet announced with a grin. I levelled him with a green stare and raised an eyebrow in question. "Let's visit Coach while he's at work! He always says if I'm gonna visit, I gotta bring someone else to 'drag me off if I start ramblin' too much.'"

"Well, it's better that having to suffer you alone," I grumbled, grabbing my keys and heading for the car.

* * *

><p>"I hate traffic," I stated calmly, my hands digging into the steering wheel.<p>

The kid sitting beside me brightened up. "Hey, that reminds me of the time me an' took this amazin' car for a s-"

"Not now, overalls." I hissed, rubbing my aching head. "I **really **don't want to be involved in a car crash."

"Okay." The kid obediently fell silent. Jesus, was that all I had to say to make him shut up?

I veered towards the high school Coach worked at, parking the car and sliding out. The kid bounced after me enthusiastically, chattering away again. "An' then there was this one time when Keith-"

"Ellis?" A surprised voice cut in. "Is that you? With Nick?"

"Yup!" The brunet chirped. "Nick is awesome!"

Yeah, well, I'd have to be to put up with the kid.

"Hey, Coach, I heard the local supermarket had a bargain on chocolate," I said with a faint smirk.

"I hear the casinos finally wised up and kicked you out, Nick." The dark skinned man returned dryly. "You're just in time. How'd you turn up when I let my team go around two minutes ago?"

"I'm psychic," I deadpanned. My eyes narrowed slightly and I shot metaphorical daggers at the man when the kid had his back turned to us. He didn't need to see us arguing. Coach shrugged slightly in answer, jerking his head at the brunet.

"He's a good kid," He muttered, before raising his voice slightly. "Hey, Ellis, c'mere."

"Eh? Oh! Okay." The boy blinked and trotted over, tilting his head curiously. Coach leaned forwards and whispered something in his ear, causing the brunet to stare at me. I glared back. What was the asshole up to now? The kid brightened up and nodded his head enthusiastically, while my glare intensified. Anything to do with me that made the little punk happy wasn't good news.

"C'mon, Nick, let's go for a lunch break." Coach called.

"I can't have a lunch break since I don't work here," I pointed out dryly, though I followed the two anyway.

* * *

><p>I frowned suspiciously, poking the meat dubiously. "And... You're sure this is cooked." I stated, glancing up at Coach. He was happily munching away on his cheeseburger on the other side of the table, while the kid was practically snuggling up to me on this side. Why was the stall so damn cramped anyway?<p>

"C'mon Nick, it ain't gonna bitecha!" The thorn literally in my side chirped. "I'm eatin' it an' I'm just fine, see?"

"Yeah, well, I like not ending up with salmonella, thanks." I sniped back.

The kid frowned slightly at me. "Nick, ya ain't gonna feel any better if ya don't eat. Lookit it, it looks fine. Ya already paid for it, ya might as well eat it instead of havin' to buy somethin' else down the line."

Ugh... The punk had a point. "A'ight, Ellis," I answered sarcastically, purposely copying his accent as I picked up the burger and reluctantly nibbled at it.

The brunet bristled slightly, looking indignant, before Coach intervened. "Why you gotta pick on Ellis? He's just tryin' to help."

"Yeah, yeah," I waved a hand at them. "Calm down you two, I'm eating the damn thing, aren't I? Not my fault if the kid can't take a joke."

Hmm, maybe if I'm enough of an asshole to the punk, he'll go away. I glanced to the side, to see Coach muttering something I can't make out to the kid. He grins and immediately launches into a tale. Jesus Christ, what the hell did the man say to him?

"You know, you two should go look for Rochelle," Coach intervened, before the brunet rattles on too long. "An' Ellis? Midnight Riders."

What? What're they on about? I'm confused, but the kid isn't. He brightens right the fuck up and nods enthusiastically before glancing at me. That's twice he's done that. I'm really feeling insecure about this.


	3. Peanuts

**Chapter 3: Peanuts**

"So me 'n Keith grab the firecracker on our way to the rollercoaster, cos we figgered that it'd be a cool sport, yanno? But the Keith's like 'Where's the safety gear?' and I'm all 'Eh? What safety gear?' so he punches me in the shoulder-and lemme tell you, Keith can sure pack a punch-then jumps off the coaster to get it. But Keith somehow breaks both 'is legs and gets this huuuuge chunk of iron stuck in 'is arm from the fall. Man, that was a sorry sight. Till he started crawlin' around usin' his good hand, I mean. Then it was fuckin' hilarious! But then he got cuts all over that one and it was just sad again."

I honestly don't know whether I hate the traffic more or the kid's stories. I let out a long-suffering sigh as I rested my head against the steering wheel, tuning both the kid and the honking out.

"…Hey, Nick. Nick!" The fucking asshole kicked me in the shin, causing me to shoot up with a yowl. Seriously, who goes around kicking people in the shin when they're driving? Scowling at him and rubbing my leg, I said snappishly, "What?"

"I never knew Ro worked at Whisperin' Oaks!" He said excitedly, practically bouncing in his seat. "Coach said that the Midnight Riders were playin' there tomorrow!"

Oh… So that's what those two were rattling about.

"Never heard of 'em," I answered, looking up to steer the car. "They any good?"

The kid looked scandalised. "'A course! Me an' Coach have all their albums, even their new ones! The newer ones are kinda crap, but they still got the best pyrotechnics ever!"

My scowl deepened. "And you kicked me to get me attention why?"

"'Cos you ignored me when I called ya and when I prodded ya." He answered matter-of-factly, his wide blue eyes trained on me.

My own green ones narrowed, and I let out a 'hmph' before returning my attention to the traffic. "Just don't do it again, or I'll bury you alive."

"'Kay," The brunet answered, completely unfazed.

God damn, this kid was like a clingy, chattery leech. Or an overeager puppy.

* * *

><p>"Rochelle!" The kid cheered, launching himself at the lady guarding the stadium entrance.<p>

I followed along at a more sedate pace, looking faintly annoyed as I held onto the little punk's cotton candy.

"Hey Ro," I greeted, inclining my head. "Shoot any other guys in the dick lately?"

She rolled her eyes with a grin. "Sweetie, you barged into my house at 5 in the morning. I'm a trained guard, and anyway, the bullet only hit your thigh."

There was a slight pause before her eyes landed on the pink confectionary in my hand and her grin widened. "Oh? Ellis, have you twisted Nick around your little finger already? Or are you not telling me something, Nick?"

"He was going to drop it on the floor," I grumbled, my metaphorical hackles rising slightly at the implication that the kid had me doing his work for him.

"Oh yeah, that's right. You're a neat freak," She said with a slight chuckle as she adjusted her grip on her kid to rest her hand on her handgun, eyeing a passing guy in a vest dangerously as he walked past.

Privately, I agreed with Rochelle's judgement - the biker looked like trouble.

"Cougar," The guy coughed loudly.

The dark-skinned girl's eyes flashed. She carefully let the kid go, turned to me to growl, "Watch the stadium." and shove her gun at me before haring after the man. I almost felt sorry for him as I watched her tackle the dark-haired man to the floor. No one should have to suffer the wrath of Rochelle when you assumed she was 'just a chick.'

I still had a scar on my thigh from that bullet wound.

* * *

><p>"Thanks for that," Rochelle panted, having finally shown up after the kid had finished his candy floss and drained two cans of soda. She reclaimed her handgun from me, leaning against the counter to examine us.<p>

"So what are you two doing here?" She asked, tilting her head. "I know Nick, at least, never visits unless he wants something from me."

I sniffed haughtily at that.

"Midnight Riders!" The kid announced excitedly, bouncing on his feet. "They're playing here tomorrow!"

"Yeah, I know…" She groused. "All of us guards are working our asses off to prepare for riots and shit like that."

Rochelle stared at my blank gaze and the brunet's beaming face before it dawned on her. "Sweetie… Do you want free tickets?"

"Nooo…" He dragged out. "I jus' want front seats! Two of 'em! I'll pay for 'em an' everythin'," The kid added anxiously. "Really, I won't do nothin' to screw things up."

Rochelle took a look at the kid's pleading face and her expression softened.

"Alright," She sighed. "But no messing about, you hear?"

…I wish I could win people over like that.


	4. Elsewhere

**Chapter 4: Elsewhere**

The man laced his fingers together and regarded the others at the table.

"What are your reports?" He inquired.

The boy donning a hoodie shrugged and shook his head.

"No sign in the casinos, boss." He reported. "Not since we nearly caught him that last time."

The tall boy, towering over almost all the others, gnawed on his unlit cigarette.

"He's been lying low, by the looks of it - no clues on the news." The blond said.

The slightly chubby boy swallowed his mouthful of hamburger and shook his head as well.

"The only things I've heard that might concern him is that someone got an influential person at Whispering Oaks to snag front-seat tickets, even though there were thousands of others queuing for it." The dark-haired boy muttered.

"That's what I've been hearing too," The short boy with the manic grin announced. "The stable hands have heard of someone with a**maz**ing luck who keeps betting at the competitions."

"Sounds like our guy," The muscly boy muttered, resting his head on his right hand.

The burly boy beside him nodded, before saying, "I hear that the Midnight Riders are playing at Whispering Oaks?"

The girl frowned and ran her fingers through her long hair.

"Yeah, that's what I hear too." She agreed.

The short boy started laughing maniacally, causing the others to roll their eyes.

"Did you forget your pills again, Lorcan?" The tall girl gently rebuked.

"Geez, Lorcan is even more of a pyro than you, Brenton." The hoodie-wearing boy teased.

The smoker flipped him off, retorting dryly, "Lorcan is psycho about everything, Jaeger. And that includes watching you do those crazy stunts."

Jaeger swiped playfully at the other, making a face. "Shut up, you. My stunts are awesome. And anyway, what about Farren? All that jerking off must be unhealthy."

Farren growled slightly, his muscles tensing and his eyes narrowing. The other muscled boy intervened before Farren lost his temper, saying "Calm down. You know he's just kidding."

The auburn haired boy let out an annoyed noise, though he did relax. "Othniel, you know I get enough of that shit everywhere else."

The man stood up. "Brenton, you're our best sniper. You should be able to tranquilise him from afar. Jaeger, you're our fastest runner. If need be, you can pull one of your extraordinary stunts to catch him. Othniel, Farren, one of you can go with them in case they need your brawn."

"I'll go," The stronger boy offered, stepping forward. "If I chase him, I won't charge into walls."

"Well, Farren **is **our resident bull," The fat boy agreed.

"Shut up, Chad." Farren snorted angrily.

"In that case, Othniel, go with Brenton and Jaeger. Perhaps this time we'll actually be able to get him in for questioning." The man said.

"Yes sir," The three chorused, nodding.

Lorcan clawed onto the table before leaping over and clinging to Jaeger like a leech.

"Can I go with them too, Archelaos?" He chattered, eyes glittering brightly.

The man sighed and shook his head, frowning.

"I… Suppose so." He muttered reluctantly. "Just don't cause **too **much havoc, okay?"

Lorcan broke into a manic grin that sent shivers down the others' spines.

"Don't worry. I won't."


	5. Rides

**Chapter 5: Rides**

"Niiiiiick!" A voice singsonged in my ear.

Ugh. Shut up.

"C'mon, Nick. Get up!"

Wait a minute. That voice was…

"Ellis!" I yelped, sitting bolt upright and glaring at the smiling brunet on my bed. "What are you doing here?"

"Rochelle had a key to your house," The kid answered cheerfully, completely unrepentant.

"What? How did she-… Never mind. Look, kid, I'm in my boxers. Could you, I dunno, go outside and ogle cars or something?" I grumbled, stretching.

"'Kay," The brunet answered with a shrug, hopping off the mattress and flouncing out of the room.

Muttering under my breath, I pulled on my suit, combed my hair and took a long goddamn shower before padding down the stairs to get a cup of coffee. **Nothing **interrupted my morning routines. Not when I was on the run, not when I was in a plane and especially not by some punk mechanic kid.

"God damn, Nick," An amused voice said. "How many of that suit do you have?"

"Be quiet, Coach," I grumbled, before realising something. "Wait. What are you doing here?"

"Rochelle let us in, but then she had to go so she left Ellis with me," The dark-skinned man explained.

"Don't you have a job too?" I pointed out, gratefully accepting the offered coffee and dropping onto the couch.

"Well, yeah. That's why I got Ellis to wake you up." Coach answered matter-of-factly.

I glared at the other man, especially when I noticed the burger crumbs on my table.

"Well, I'm off," The junk food-muncher announced, rising to his feet. He reached over and ruffled the kid's hair as the brunet ate my cereal. Again. Why does he like my cereal so much?

"Don't go too crazy with Nick, alright?" He said.

"Kay, I won't." The kid nodded.

"See you, Nick," The man called, taking his leave.

Wait, wait, wait. What did I miss this time?

* * *

><p>"Remind me why I'm taking you to Whispering Oaks at-" I paused to check my watch. "Eight in the morning?"<p>

"Cos it'll be fun to play at Whisperin' Oaks for a whole day! An' anyway, it wasn't like ya had somethin' to do."

"I did have something to do," I argued. "I was going to watch TV for the whole day and drink martinis."

"…Nothin' important." He corrected.

"Ugh. You're paying for both our tickets." I informed him.

"Alright," The kid answered with a shrug. We drove in silence for a while-a rare thing with the person known as Ellis-until his eyes landed on a passing duck. "Hey, Nick, did I ever tell ya the time me an' Keith-"

Oh god. I immediately stopped listening to the kid, instead plotting how to snag my spare house key back from Rochelle. How did she get the damn thing anyway?

"An' ya know what, Nick? I think you'd get along damn well wit' Keith."

Ha, not likely.

Wait, what had he been rambling about?

I mentally shrugged and continued driving until the kid spoke up again.

"Nick, we're here!" The brunet announced excitedly. "Holy shit, I wanna go ride the Screamin' Oak!"

I made a pained face. "Calm down, kid. You can go on all the rides you want till your precious concert."

* * *

><p>As soon as we bought the tickets and stepped inside, an oddly familiar hyena-like laugh echoed from across the place. I felt chills run down my spine as I simultaneously wondered where I'd heard it before.<p>

"What the hell was that?" The kid asked, head snapping around at the unhinged noise.

"I'm not sure." I answered, looking around. I was growing suspicious, especially when I caught a flash of blue-grey crawling around on one of the buildings' roofs.

"No, you're kidding me." I growled quietly. "It can't be…"

"What're ya doin', Nick?" Ellis called, having recovered from the startle the laugh had given him and raced off to queue for the ride. "C'mon, we're gonna go on the Screamin' Oak together!"

"Who died and made you my boss?" I grumbled, padding after him.

* * *

><p>"Why isn't Lorcan's name Leeroy-Fuckin'-Jenkins?" Jaeger complained, dangling by his feet from the ceiling.<p>

"I don't see why you have the right to complain, considering he spotted you," Brenton retorted.

Othniel, who had a tight grip on the short boy who had caused the group's problems, rolled his eyes and sighed.

The hoodie wearing boy bristled slightly.

"I didn't see you helping me!" The raven-hair snapped.

"It's not like I can climb on the roof without a ladder," The blond huffed in return.

Jaeger opened his mouth to reply, only to be cut off by a manic laugh that became muffled halfway along the line.

"Would you two cut it out?" Othniel growled, his large hand covering the manic kid's mouth. "You're making Lorcan go crazy."

"Like he wasn't crazy before," The hoodie donner muttered, though he did quieten down.

* * *

><p>"Oh, hey, look. A tree. Tree. Tree. Another tree. How utterly fascinating."<p>

"Nick, ya really ain't supposed to go there anyway," The kid pointed out, munching on his popcorn. "Look, there's a shootin' gallery."

A shooting gallery? Well, well. I broke into a slight smirk, walking over to the stall.

"Step right up, step right up!" A short man was calling. "First prize is a gnome if you can shoot all the targets!"

"So if we hit all the targets we win you?" I muttered as I passed him. "Doesn't seem like a very fair trade to me."

As the man gaped in shock and the kid started guffawing, I tossed some money onto the counter and picked up the rifle, examining it and testing its weight, swinging it around. I aimed and fired an experimental shot, my smirk turning positively dangerous as the dart rammed into the target dead center.

Oh yeah. This was going to be fun.

* * *

><p>"I can't believe it!" The kid shouted in astonishment. "Ya got 'em all in a bull's-eye! Holeeeey shit, Nick, you're my new idol! Jesus, you're starting to rival Jimmy Gibbs Jr.!"<p>

"Yeah, yeah," I muttered, swiping at my nose in what might have been slight embarrassment. If it was, you didn't hear it from me. Anyway, I had heard the brunet rattle enough times about the car racer to get the general gist of the 'bearing his children' thing. And wasn't that just the greatest compliment ever?

"Here, this is for you." I grumbled, shoving the statue into the kid's hands.

"Oh, uh, well…" He stared uncertainly at it. "Thanks for the soul-piercing gnome, I guess. I s'pose I'll give it to Keith or somethin'."

"Yeah, sure, you're welcome. Thanks for the overwhelming gratefulness to me." I answered, rolling my eyes. Secretly, I was just glad I got rid of the damn thing.

* * *

><p>"Nick, look!" The kid all but screamed. "Kiddyland!"<p>

I rubbed my abused ear, giving the brunet a sidelong glare.

"Thanks for that, it's not like I needed that ear anyway, huh?" I grumbled.

The punk ignored me in favour of racing around the place, screaming "KIDDYLAAAND!" at the top of his lungs, earning him quite a few odd looks from the parents.

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!" He chanted. "Bumper cars, bumper cars!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming, calm your shit," I answered, padding over to join him.

"Hurry up!" The brunet urged.

Dammit, this was like taking care of a 5 year old with a comprehensive grasp of all the swear words in the English language and a clear knowledge of sex.

…I hate 5 year olds.

* * *

><p>"Hey, Nick. You're looking particularly battered today. Did Ellis tire you out?" Rochelle asked with a faint smirk, yawning loudly.<p>

"I could ask you the same about you and your boss," I answered, slumping against a wall and flipping her off simultaneously. "That kid is a fucking ball of infinite energy, I swear."

"Ro!" Came the cheer in time for the dark-skinned lady to brace herself before the kid tackled her gleefully.

"How ya doin'?" He asked.

"Probably felt better before you jumped her," I muttered under my breath, rolling my eyes.

"I'm good," Rochelle assured the kid, reaching over to lightly swat me like a fucking dog when he frowned at me. Ignoring my growl, she continued, "It's gonna be way worse when the concert actually starts."

"Hey! That reminds me of the time Keith was off-" The kid started saying, before I stopped listening. My head snapped around when I heard an unholy screech emanating from one of the buildings. I had never heard that sound before, but fuck if it wasn't just as terrifying.

* * *

><p>"What the hell man, everyone and their bitch heard that scream!" Brenton hissed, rounding on the hoodie-wearing boy.<p>

The raven-hair reared up in indignation. "He **bit **me! Lorcan bit **me**! What did you think I was gonna do, do a Lorina and start crying?"

"No, I didn't expect you to act like her. I expected you to **not scream like a fucking banshee**!" The smoker bellowed.

"Yeah, well I expected _you _to go with Othniel to chase the kid! Aren't you supposed to be the **fucking sniper **and all that?" Jaeger snapped back.

The blond fluffed up angrily, looking ready to lunge at the other when the third member of their party appeared with Lorcan in tow.

The burly boy was frowning at them, eyebrows furrowed.

"Look, if you two can't get along to the point you're exciting Lorcan, there's obviously an issue." Othniel stated. "Normally that wouldn't be my problem, but since we're on a mission, if you two screwing up the mission, I will _personally lock you two into a closet for as long as needed until you sort out your damn problems. _And if, somehow, you snipe or parkour your way out, and I catch you, **God help you.**"

The two boys stared with wide eyes at the burly boy, cowering just the slightest bit, because they **knew **Othniel would do it, and damn if the kid wasn't scary when he wanted to be. They silently thanked God that the muscly boy didn't have the temperament of Farren. One pissed off muscle bound kid repeatedly mashing you into walls was enough, especially considering Othniel was **stronger **than his friend. Jaeger and Brenton looked at each other solemnly, shaking their hands in a silent truce. **Nothing** was scarier than Othniel when he was angry.

* * *

><p>"I think I'm going to pass out."<p>

"No, don't do that! Hey, look, it's Francis. HEY, Francis! This is Nick. You two can hate things together an' shit." The kid introduced.

"You!" Rochelle practically howled, apparently already baying for the man's blood. The dark haired man in the biker vest jumped back, hands held up in the air in defense.

"Heel, girl," I cut in, gently prodding her in the ribs and dodging her swipe. "You already beat the guy to a pulp once." My voice lowered as I added "If I were you, I'd keep an eye on this 'Francis.' The kid knows him, so…"

Rochelle let out a low rumble, though she did fall into a thoughtful silence.

I eyed the new guy in amusement, noting the way he was favouring his right foot. Francis had a series of tattoos over his arms, barely visible brown hair; it was cut so short, same coloured eyes and some leather fingerless gloves. I guess they'd be useful for bikers, if nothing else. Hmm… If worse came to worse, yeah. I could take him on.

"Seriously, I'm only here to look for Old Grandpa Bill," The older brunet was saying. "I don't really wanna talk to Colonel Sanders over there."  
>"Hey, Vest, it's not like <strong>I <strong>want to know you, y'know." I sniped. "I've got better things to do, like watching a snail crawl up a wall."

"Hey, don't turn your sexual confusion on me," He snarled.  
>"At least my fucking partner isn't my <strong>hand<strong>," I snapped back.

The vest guy opened his mouth to reply when another guard stumped over, chewing a cigarette. The old man whacked the biker over the back of his head with the butt of his gun, though relatively gently if the fact that the other was still conscious was any indication.

"Francis, I can hear you from the other side of the stadium," The elderly guard growled, biting down on his cigarette and leaning on the butt of his gun. "Don't bait Rochelle's friends, I told you. She'll kick your ass, I told you. But what do I hear as soon as I get here? Rochelle ranting about some man in a vest who called her a cougar and you facing off with a man in a suit who is clearly one of her friends. _I don't tell you these things without a reason, Francis._"

The biker scowled, rubbing his head, replying with a "Shut up, Grandpa Bill. You're too old to be a guard, anyway."

"What was that, laddie?" Bill asked pleasantly, using his rifle to prod the brunet in the chest. "I'm too old to hear you properly, you'll have to speak up."

As the dark haired man spluttered and tried to push the gun away from his direction, I turned around chuckling to check my watch. It was nearly time for the concert – I could ditch the kid soon.

* * *

><p>"They're going inside," Jaeger warned, hands digging into the roof. "Let's go."<p>

With a loud cackle, Lorcan leapt onto the other's back, clinging to the raven-hair tightly.

"You better not start humping me or something," The hoodie-donning boy grumbled as he scuttled over to where the others were waiting.

"C'mon, Bren, sling your hook," He called.

The smoker growled as he tossed the thick rope up to Jaeger, who caught it deftly in one hand and started pulling the blond onto the roof as Othniel pushed him up from below.

When Brenton had finished scrambling to join the parkourist, Othniel nodded at them and quickly lumbered inside through the guard's entrance.

"Here," Jaeger called, hopping on top of the stage to survey the crowd.

Fully aware of the other's awful eyesight, Brenton joined him on the roof, scanning the audience for their target.

"There," The blond said, pointing to a certain dark, almost black brunet in a suit.

Lorcan immediately made to jump down and chase the man, prompting the other two to leap forward and grab the short redhead's arms.

"God damn it, you crazy fucker," The parkourist cursed, dodging the foot trying to connect with his face.

"Calm down, Lorcan," The smoker growled, looking annoyed as he struggled to keep the redhead still. "We can get him later, but if you jump **now**, he's gonna get away!"

The jockey grumbled under his breath, but obligingly stopped squirming.

The blond and raven-hair glanced at each other and sighed in relief.

Another crisis averted.

* * *

><p>"What."<p>

"I – I know I didn't ask ya before, but I already got the tickets, an' I paid for 'em myself." The kid said anxiously, staring up at me with wide blue eyes.

"What." I repeated. "Why would you pay God knows how much money on someone you barely even know?"

The brunet tilted his head. "Well, you're my friend, ain'tcha? It's what friends do."

"I'm not your friend." I pointed out, folding my arms, though I walked after the brunet.

"Sure ya are." He answered all cheerful-like. "Ya don't have to be shy."

I spluttered at the implication that I was timid.

"Shy! Shy? I'm not fucking shy!" I growled.

"Sure, sure," The little punk answered, obviously paying more attention to the ticket-taker than me.

"Fancy seeing you here," A voice chuckled behind us just as I was prepared to tackle the fucker to the floor. "Hey, Nick. I thought you woulda bolted already."

"If I knew this is what the kid was dragging me along for, I would have." I grumbled in return. "You have a terrible taste in music, Coach."

"Hey, don't be dissin' the Riders," The dark-skinned man answered half-jokingly. "I got all their albums for a reason, y'know."

"To deafen everyone?" I suggested as I trotted after the brunet, taking a sear close to the exit. Coach rolled his eyes and took a seat somewhere else.

It wasn't like I **minded **going to a concert someone else had paid for me; it was just that I knew I was being followed. My eyes narrowed when I noticed the three blobs on top of the stage. Tensing, my hand slid down to grip the gun in my belt.

"Nick?" The kid who had once again decided to invade my personal space asked. He was staring at me with slight worry. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I grunted. "Go buy your Midnight Riders souvenirs."

"…Kay then." The kid said, glancing at me uncertainly.

I was starting to contemplate explaining to him what had made me so agitated when one of the men onstage stepped forward.

He tapped the mike experimentally, the loud feedback attracting everyone's attention instantly.

"Alright, boys and girls, are you ready for the PERFORAMANCE of your LIFE?" He called.

"Yes!" The crowd roared back.

At that moment, I reallydid not want to be one of the guards working here.

"Do you want to see the BEST fireworks EVER until your EYES are bleeding?" He yelled.

"YES!" The audience bellowed in return.

Wow. This was **not **sounding like a fun concert. I made to walk out, but the burly guard at the entrance caught my eye and glared before motioning me back to my seat. Well, that's a no.

"When you're OLD and WRINKLY, are you gonna remember this show as the AWESOMEST time EVER?" He screamed.

"**YES!**" The people howled in unison.

Man, this guy knew how to stir people up – I had to give them that.

"Then sit back, relax and watch, 'cause the Midnight Riders are gonna bust into your head through your ears and **blow** your **mind**!" He announced, looking around at the other band members beside him before breaking into song.

'_Nothing left to humble,_

_Your pride is wrecked…'_

At the same time, an all-too-familiar redhead midget leapt out of the crowd.

"Shit!" I cursed, jumping to my feet.

"Nick?" The kid asked, shaking himself out of his Midnight Riders daze and looking up.

'_The pursuers are getting closer,_

_Your feet are tattered,'_

Without waiting for the brunet, I bolted for the exit, the guard previously there chasing the redhead.

"Nick!" The kid called, bounding after me as I pulled my gun out. Spotting it but still seeming relatively relaxed, he asked "What're ya doin'?"

'_Your pace slow downs until you stop,_

_You spin around…'_

"Being chased by people who want my guts for a hat, is what I'm doing," I growled, picking up my pace. If the kid could keep up, the parkourist could sure as hell jump me from some ceiling. I had personal experience with that fucker's pounce. "You should go back."

'_You meet your hunters with defiance,_

_Brawl with tooth and claw,'_

"No, I can help," The kid insisted. "I know this place like the back of my hand! Left."

I swerved to the left, leaping over the ledge as I jammed the green Midnight Riders glowstick the other had given me into my mouth.

'_Your pride may be gone, but you still have honour._

_**You're not going down like prey!**__'_

"Oh, man! Y'know, Nick, this is just like that one game where you're in a castle without any memories an' you're running from some flappy-jawed monsters!" He blathered excitedly as he sprinted after me.

The kid was being chased by cops who were hunting me down and he **still **has the breath and time to talk about video games? Jesus Christ.

'_Ooooh, ONE LAST STAND!_

_Ooooh, ONE LAST STAND!'_

Lightning fast, I darted behind a corner in time for a tranquiliser dart to thud into the wall.

Hmm, they wanted me alive, not dead, huh? That was going to make this a bit easier, at least.

'_Bleeding to death,_

_Fierce grin,'_

"This music must be real loud fer us to hear it here." The kid commented. "Right."

"It's surprisingly suitable for this," I agreed, sounding slightly muffled with the glowstick in my mouth as I hared around the right path. "Except I'm not planning to die for honour."

'_It's okay,_

_Cause this is yoooooour'_

"Yanno, I think they just copied the tune from their other song _One Bad Man_." The brunet remarked offhandedly, dodging a bewildered guard.

'_ONE LAST STAND!_

_This is yoooooour'_

"Mm, maybe," I shrugged, coughing slightly and bolting for the exit. "I wouldn't know."

"Hey, there's ya car!" The kid called, just as I pressed the button on my keychain to unlock it and threw myself in.

I was about to go when he barrelled into the seat beside me, panting "Hey now, don't leave me behind!"

As soon as I knew he wouldn't pitch back out the window, I slammed the accelerator and sped off, leaving the carnival behind.

'_**ONE LAST STAND!**__'_


End file.
